Ideas at Work

We hear about the “crisis” at the border all the time in the news. Every president in recent history has struggled politically with what to do with the surges of people trying to immigrate to the US, primarily over its southern border. And most Americans today have opinions about immigration policy but are less knowledgeable about the current state of immigration in the country and what policies contribute to the kind of immigration they would like to have.   Our guest on the podcast today, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, Alex Nowrasteh, spoke to Dr. Jennifer Thompson about what’s really going on with immigration in the United States. What do people say they want and how does that stack up against our current policy? And what he’s learned over the years from his conversations with people across the political spectrum about immigration.   Show Notes

Outside of a global pandemic, there’s a lot of general frustration with how our healthcare system works. It’s not surprising that the pressures of the pandemic put incredible stress on an already fraught system. So, what did we do in response to that pressure? Did we learn anything from that pressure that we can take into making our healthcare system function better moving forward?    Our guest on the podcast today, Courtney Joslin, a resident fellow at R Street, came on the show to talk about what we learned from COVID-19 about providing better healthcare in a crisis and beyond. Dr. Jennifer Thompson spoke to her about what different states and the federal government changed in response to COVID-19, vaccine passports, and where we go from here.    Show Notes

Through 2020 and entering into 2021, our society has faced some pretty spectacular challenges. Many of them brought on by COVID-19. Some of them brought on by challenges we’ve created for ourselves through decisions we made generations ago, the consequences of which are now coming to a head.   Younger Americans face challenges in employment, housing, and health that previous generations did not and all of us are faced with the problems of hyperpolarization and coming back from the wreckage of a global pandemic.   Our guest on the podcast today, policy fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and demographer Lyman Stone, is a student of the data. Dr. Jennifer Thompson spoke to Lyman about the trends he has observed in how our society faces challenges and the lessons we can learn about how to respond in the face of problems and come back as a flourishing, healthy society.   Show Notes

In our increasingly divided society, speaking your mind is costly. Saying what you think could cost you relationships, it could cause you to lose your reputation and the respect of your social circles, or your livelihood. It’s easy to see why many of us choose to keep our mouths shut, rather than risk spreading possibly controversial thoughts around. But what damage do we do to ourselves and to society when we make this a habit?  Our guest on the podcast, Dr. Rishi Joshi talks to Jennifer Thompson about the risks of speaking your mind and why he believes you have a duty to do it anyway. This duty, Rishi argues, is for the good of your community, but also, more importantly, for yourself.      Show Notes

Vaccines are being rolled out on a broader scale and there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but what happens when we come out of it? What have we learned about conversation from COVID-19 as we’ve all been separated physically? How will what we’ve experienced change how we go about conversation face to face, post pandemic? Dr. Jennifer Thompson sat down with Liz Joyner, Executive Director of the Village Square and Jeremy Garson, In House Counsel and Chief of Staff, the Bridge Alliance about these questions and more. They share their experience working in the civil discourse space.   Show Notes

What does unity require in a country full of diverse opinions and experiences? Are there values that unite Americans, no matter who they are and what they believe? What do we need to do to bridge even our most difficult divides? Dr. Jennifer Thompson talked with Samar Ali, Co-Chair, Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy and found of Millions of Conversations about what it means to be American in 2021 and how we pursue unity in an increasingly polarized society. She shares her experience in international conflict resolution and grass roots community conversations, and talks about the importance of respectful discourse.   Show Notes

Most people have complaints about the internet, and specifically social media. They fear that social media companies are censoring people with their views, or on the other hand, not censoring dangerous views enough. And both views have latched on to one law as the solution to their social media woes, Section 230. Dr. Jennifer Thompson talked with Shoshana Weissmann, senior manager of digital communications and policy fellow at R Street about what Section 230 is and if getting rid of it is helpful or hurtful to an internet where discourse can flourish. She shares her experience as a policy advocate and also how she uses the internet for her health and hobbies and what Section 230 means to everyday users of the internet.   Show Notes

Education is more than just an issue of policy. It’s a transformative experience that contributes to a flourishing life. That’s the view of our guest this week, Derrell Bradford, executive vice president of 50can. An advocate for education reform for decades, Derrell works with people of all political ideologies to help ensure that every child has access to a quality education, no matter their zip code.Dr. Jennifer Thompson talked with Derrell about the value of education for individuals, but also for society. He shares his take on the attack on the Capitol as a failure of education and what we can do to make a difference in education in our own communities.  Show Notes

Viewpoint diversity is the sort of idea that sounds good on paper, but in practice, few of us like to embrace. We don’t like to hear ideas we think are wrong and certainly rarely think about why those ‘wrong’ ideas are important to discuss. Our recent guest does research on the importance of viewpoint diversity, teaches a course on the topic, and also consults with businesses that want to create an environment that encourages diverse perspectives. Dr. Jennifer Thompson sat down with Dr. Ilana Redstone, associate professor of sociology at the University of Illinois, to talk her about her work on the value of viewpoint diversity and the challenges of discussing a variety of views on sensitive topics, like race and issues related to identity. Ilana shares her experiences in the classroom, helping students navigate dialogue and gives us important examples of mistakes we might avoid in trying to have sensitive conversations ourselves.  Show Notes

Through the course of 2020, we talked to lots of experts, authors, and thoughtful people about issues from the value of political engagement, to the role of civil society in solving our deepest problems, and everything in between. We pulled together the best ideas we heard this year that are applicable into 2021 and beyond. Take a listen and if you find one particularly valuable, you might enjoy the rest of that episode too!  Show Notes

Not everything in 2020 has been a drag. We’ve had some awesome guests on the podcast, with lots of thought-provoking ideas. And many of our guests have had really valuable insights into how to have more better conversations with people who see the world differently. We pulled together the best tips we heard this year to help you have more enlightening, interesting, and civil conversations.

Intergenerational communication is not always an easy thing. Add in politics and an increasingly polarized country and it can become even more difficult. As college students come home for the holidays, it could be easy to prepare to clash with Gen Z and worry about having more conflict than connection.    Dr. Jennifer Thompson sat down with Dr. Lindsay Hoffman, associate professor of communication and political science at the University of Delaware, to talk her experience working with students to have respectful conversation about their political values. She shares a refreshing optimism about this generation of students, their openness and curiosity, and gives us some concrete tips for engaging in civil discourse with them.   Show Notes

In the world we live in, compromise and moderation can be dirty words. However, in business, compromise and moderation are necessary parts of the culture. Can business help us bring greater compromise and moderation to our increasingly polarized world? Dr. Jennifer Thompson sat down with Bob Feldman, founder of the Dialogue Project and vice chair of IFC Next, to talk about what his project has taught him about how companies can help to bring greater respectful discussions, not just to the workplace, but to the rest of our lives.   Show Notes

After over 700 episodes of the podcast EconTalk, it’s fair to say that Russ Roberts specializes in curiosity and conversation. We spoke to him about both in our recent live Zoom event and asked him how he prepares for those conversations to make them respectful and educational. We also chatted with Russ about the state of polarization in the country right now, how we got here, and what individuals can do to make a difference in our dialogue and how we relate to our political opposites.  Show Notes

It’s election season, and everyone seems to be extra motivated to get out, vote, and do their civic duty. And one reason may be that we feel overwhelmed by the state of our country and political polarization. We see people everywhere dehumanizing the “other side” and we ourselves are often guilty of the same. Is it possible that our relationship to politics is unhealthy? Dr. Chris Freiman thinks so and we sat down with him to understand why. Chris’s Book Why It’s OK to Ignore Politics suggests that we have a moral duty to ignore politics and put our energy into other ways to make society better. Is he right or is there something he’s missing? Listen and decide for yourself. Show Notes

Many people see the need for more civil conversations about our political values, but in many contexts, that’s easier said than done. Especially in the year 2020, during a contentious presidential election and a global pandemic, respectful discourse is hard to find. Is it possible to have dialogue with people we disagree with? If so, how?  Dr. Jennifer Thompson sat down with Dr. Tania Israel, Professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and author of Beyond Your Bubble: How to Connect Across the Political Divide, Skills and Strategies for Conversations That Work (APA, 2020) to discuss how practically we can accomplish these conversations.  Show Notes

What defines a conservative? Are Republicans and conservatives the same thing?  Is it a commitment to principles like limited government, free markets, individual liberty, and traditional values? Or is it something else? Dr. Jennifer Thompson sat down with Stephanie Slade, the managing editor of Reason magazine to discuss recent shifts she’s seeing in what it means to be a conservative for a growing section of those who claim the label. They discuss several of her recent pieces on the topic and what this trend may mean for those who call themselves conservative.  Show Notes

It’s been a contentious year so far, to say the least. Our political differences have never seemed more stark and common ground is hard to find. How do we work towards that common ground with our political opposites? Is the country hopelessly divided, or is there reason to hope? Dr. Jennifer K. Thompson is joined by Jordan Balshek this week, co-author of the new book Union: A Democrat, a Republican and a Search for Common Ground, to discuss his road trip across the country to find common ground. Jordan and his co-author Chris are on opposite sides of the political spectrum and they traveled together through 44 states, meeting people from all walks of life, to discover the state of our union.Show Notes

In a summer of unrest and public debate around the issue of police reform, Dr. Jennifer K. Thompson is joined by Arthur Rizer, Director of Criminal Justice & Civil Liberties and Resident Senior Fellow for R Street Institute, about the state of the criminal justice system in the US. As a former police officer, who studies criminal justice issues at Oxford, and a former prosecutor, Arthur has seen all sides of how police departments work. He shares his thoughts on how we should discuss the topic of police reform and how the language we use informs the outcomes we get.Show Notes

Dr. Jennifer K. Thompson is joined by Marshall Kosloff, director of outreach and media for the Lincoln Network, to talk about how technology has changed news media and the role that it plays in a free and democratic society. How has the rise of the internet and social media changed the nature of the news we consume? How does the way the news is funded influence the amount of bias in journalism? Show Notes

Dr. Jennifer K. Thompson is joined by Mike McShane, Director of National Research at EdChoice, to talk about what it looks like for students to go back to school this fall, given the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic. What kind of decisions must be made by schools? How do we make sure that kids get the best shot at the kind of education they deserve?   Show Notes

Dr. Jennifer K. Thompson is joined by Pamela Paresky, Visiting Lecturer at the University of Chicago and Senior Scholar in Human Development and Psychology at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, to talk about what she calls the “habits of a free mind,” what they are, how to cultivate them, and how they can help us manage our difficult conversations with others about the COVID-19 crisis, racial justice, and more.   Show Notes

Dr. Jennifer K. Thompson is joined Fabio Rojas, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology atIndiana University, during the Black Lives Matter movement and COVID-19 protests, to discuss protests and social change.The conversation covers several important topics. How do protests work? What makes a protest successful? How does the economic climate affect a protest? What’s happening with the protests that we’re seeing now in the US? How does violence change the effectiveness of protests? Show Notes

Dr. Jennifer K. Thompson is joined by Adam Thierer, a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercator Center at George Mason University, for a conversation about innovation and regulation during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.What stands in the way of entrepreneurship and innovation today? What can we do to address those obstacles, and why is it so important that we do it? Show Notes

Professor Larry Diamond returns to Ideas at Work for a conversation with Jennifer and Mike about democracy and freedom during the COVID-19 crisis.How have different countries responded to the coronavirus pandemic? What have democracies around the world done to balance public health and individual liberty? What concerns should we have about the future of self-government?Show Notes

This week, Jennifer and Mike are joined by Pacific Legal Foundation's Anastasia Boden for a conversation about economic liberty and competition in the medical industry.Do regulations like Certificate of Needs laws keep out new entrepreneurs and harm the people they could help? How do anti-competitive barriers affect our ability to fight COVID-19 and provide good healthcare in normal times? Show Notes Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

We’ve had a “war on poverty” for over 50 years.  During the COVID-19 crisis, we’re seeing dramatic changes to the social safety net in an effort to keep Americans housed, fed, and cared for during a national emergency.  But what have those on the frontlines in the battle against poverty learned about what it takes to move families out of poverty? Are there ideas we should consider outside of the expansion of government programs to support financial recovery and economic mobility? What really breaks the cycle of poverty and helps people flourish?  Our guest today is Jesús Gerena, the Chief Executive Officer of the Family Independence Initiative. We’ve invited him to join us to shed light on some different approaches to helping families escape poverty in the US.  Show Notes Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

Healthcare is front and center on all our minds, both as a leading policy question for the 2020 presidential race and, in recent days, as we navigate the new realities of life, work, and well-being during the coronavirus crisis.Our guest today, Dr. Bobbi Herzberg, is a political scientist with extensive knowledge about healthcare policy in the US.  We invited Bobbi to join us to discuss a Civil Squared community question about Medicare-for-all, as well as to weigh in on healthcare today as we consider trade-offs between cost, quality, and access during COVID-19.Show Notes  Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

The global pandemic has raised a number of urgent questions about how we should live, how we should relate to each other, and how we should respond to a crisis, as individuals and in our public and private institutions.Our guest today, Dr. Daniel Bennett, is an economist at Baylor University who studies the historical effects of infectious disease on society. We thought that now would be a great time to ask him about how infectious diseases change us and our institutions, and how we can maintain a flourishing and healthy society as we deal with this crisis.Show Notes  Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

How do we support economic opportunity for women and economic well-being for families in America? Are there changes to the US’s “social safety net” that would better support families in times of crisis and beyond?In this special bonus episode, Jennifer Thompson is once again joined by Dr. Aparna Mathur of the American Enterprise Institute. They discuss her research on the range of factors affecting women and families in the economy. What policy ideas are on the table for addressing issues like paid family leave, childcare, and the gender wage gap? Do they require policy solutions?Show Notes  Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

In recent days, legislation has been enacted to provide for paid leave as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Many of us now find ourselves facing professional disruption or even unemployment. We’re juggling child-care, household chores, and meals without our normal networks of support. Questions about paid family leave, medical leave, and who bears the responsibility for childcare are much more immediate for all of us in recent days.In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Aparna Mathur from the American Enterprise Institute to share her thoughts on the new legislation. Her extensive knowledge on the issues of paid parental leave and paid medical leave, and her work on unemployment and the social safety net, help shed light on the policies under consideration.Show Notes  Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

In this episode, we’re joined by Robert McNamara for an eye-opening discussion about economic liberty and occupational licensing in America. McNamara, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice (IJ), sheds light on the explosion in occupational licensing we’re seeing in the US today. Listen in to learn fascinating stories of real IJ clients as they fight for the right to work, and why this issue should matter to all citizens – not just budding entrepreneurs.Show Notes  Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

In this episode, we bring you a conversation with Indiana entrepreneur Gregg Keesling. We invited Gregg to share the story of his social enterprise, RecycleForce, which employs and supports formerly incarcerated individuals as they re-enter society, and why he believes that work is a pathway to hope for our struggling communities.Learn more about the criminal justice system in the United States, the realities of re-entry, and how science-driven, subsidized initiatives can offer creative solutions to challenges faced by marginalized populations in urban and rural communities.Show Notes  Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

In this episode, we bring you a discussion with John Wood, Jr. and April Lawson of Braver Angels, a national grassroots movement to reduce political polarization. John and April share insights from the frontlines of this movement, discuss the importance of building and maintaining fundamental social bonds, and offer practical ways to get involved in changing the trajectory of our civic culture.Show Notes  Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

In this episode, we bring you a discussion with the architects of “America in One Room,” a ground-breaking experiment conducted in September 2019. Could our democracy work better if citizens were actually able to think through policy proposals and deliberate? Discover what happened when 500 American voters came together for a 3-day experience in self-government. Our guests share why this gathering might offer good news for the future of democracy.Show Notes Copyright: © 2020 Center for the Study of Liberty

In this episode, we bring you a special conversation with Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, hosts of the "Pantsuit Politics" podcast. We invited Sarah and Beth to join us to talk about their new book, I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening), and share their principles and strategies for having healthy political conversations in the midst of profound disagreements. You'll hear about the origins of their successful podcast, why they think it's so important for us all to keep talking about politics, and how we can navigate difficult discussions with our family, friends, and neighbors. To learn more about "Pantsuit Politics," visit pantsuitpoliticsshow.com. Read more about I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening) here. To learn more about the Center for the Study of Liberty, visit www.studyliberty.org. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about upcoming events, resources, and more.

In this episode, we bring you a conversation with Katherine Mangu-Ward, the editor-in-chief of Reason, the magazine of free minds and free markets. Jennifer K. Thompson asks Katherine about her perspective on political journalism today, the rise of "fake news," polarization, and the call to regulate speech on social media. Our guest offers an in-depth look at the state of journalism in the US and shares why she believes that competition, the free exchange of ideas, and human ingenuity will ultimately get us to the truth. To learn more about Reason, visit reason.com. To learn more about the Center for the Study of Liberty, visit www.studyliberty.org. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about upcoming events, resources, and more.

In this episode, we bring you an interview with John C. Mozena, the president of the Center for Economic Accountability. John joined Mike Craig for a conversation about economic development deals at the state and local level. We'll dig into his experience on both sides of this issue - as a former communications and public relations expert who once authored press releases supporting tax credits and subsidies in the name of "job creation" - and now as the leader of a nonpartisan advocacy organization with a vision of economic opportunity for all. John shares the facts about economic development in the US and what you can do to promote transparency in your community.  To learn more about the Center for Economic Accountability, go to economicaccountability.org. To learn more about the Center for the Study of Liberty, visit www.studyliberty.org. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about upcoming events, resources, and more.

In this episode, we bring you an interview with Nan Alexander Doyal. Nan joined Jennifer K. Thompson for a conversation about her book Dig Where You Are: How One Person’s Effort Can Save a Life, Empower a Community and Create Meaningful Change in the World. They discuss her book as well as her work as President of the International Forum, an organization that designs active learning experiences for leaders of global corporations. Drawing from her extensive experience learning alongside of ordinary individuals making a big difference, Nan shares practical guidance about putting our talents into action for social change.  To learn more about Ms. Doyal's work, visit digwhereyouare.com.  To learn more about the Center for the Study of Liberty, visit www.studyliberty.org. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about upcoming events, resources, and more.

In this episode, we bring you an interview with Professor John Inazu, the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University St. Louis. Professor Inazu sat down with Center Executive Director Jennifer K. Thompson to discuss his book, Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference. Their conversation explored how we can work across ideological divides and protect the free and open exchange of ideas in America.  To learn more about Dr. Inazu's work, visit www.jinazu.com.   To learn more about the Center for the Study of Liberty, visit www.studyliberty.org. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about upcoming events, resources, and more.